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Monday Window: Blue Souk, Sharjah…

I found a plethora of windows at the Blue Souk, Sharjah, UAE on Saturday, so for once my post has more than one window! I think you will like them, the Islamic style of the Souk is eye-catching with the beautiful blue sky above, setting off the tiles and architecture perfectly.

Inside the souk are small shops selling carpets, jewellery, pashminas, clothing, curios. There are two sides to the Souk crossed by covered bridges at either end, over the main road. Small shops line the bridges too. It’s a place to go to bargain hunt, be prepared to haggle hard!

The Souk al-Markazi (Central Market), popularly known as the Blue Souk, is the main shopping hub and one of the most impressive landmarks of Sharjah. The building was designed by the British architects Michael Lyle & Partners, based on the ideas and guidance of the Ruler of Sharjah, HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, and was completed in 1978. The architecture captures the character of a traditional bazaar on a grand scale. Located on the shore of the Khalid Lagoon, it is most beautiful at sunset, seen across the water.

Participating in Ludwig’s Monday Windows challenge… come and join in the fun, find a new window each week..it’s certainly a challenge!

21 comments on “Monday Window: Blue Souk, Sharjah…”

Great shops too.. this is one of the places to come and haggle down, although it is a place where busloads of tourists are dropped.. I was a bit short of a blue pashmina, so dropped into one shop, a quiet hour, price dropped 70% after a bit of a hmm..”it’s too much” conversation and turning to walk out….my blue pash is really nice!

Fabulous windows in the light! Such graceful detail in the architecture and design throughout. Once again, I marvel at the beauty, art and craftship in the structure and in its embellishments. What joy it must be to design and build there. I wonder, again as well, about the symbolism in the designs, for artists almost always have symbolism in mind when creating such lasting works. Then there’s the atonal silver trading sign and the neon lights outlining one of the interior windows. What seems a magnificent cathedral is after all a shopping mall.

Thanks, Kathryn, it seems to me Islamic design is particularly graceful and careful in its repetition, leaving a pleasing result to the eye. It incorporates a certain amount of gentle shapes that do not assault the perception of the style, ie: there is nothing harsh. We perceive an attractive visual framework, which is pleasing and traditional. I am very fond of the visual effect of Islamic shapes and design in architecture. Some of the mosques here are particularly beautiful in design. I intend to have a post in the future on the architecture and design of mosques and traditional buildings… it is a work in progress…! And the Blue Souk is a great shopping centre too!!!

Thanks, Ludwig, I wasn’t actually going there but drove past it on the freeway and thought…OH,YES…Monday windows, screeched off and voila! and I found a very nice blue pashmina too, so 2 birds with one stone 🙂